


The Dangers of Gossip

by Okami01



Series: Hilclaude week 2020 [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Gossip, Loyalty, Pining, Pre-Slash, Pre-Time Skip, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:48:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24597013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okami01/pseuds/Okami01
Summary: Hilda doesn't mind gossip. She knows that she doesn't like it when it's about Claude. Prompt - Secrets
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Series: Hilclaude week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1778047
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	The Dangers of Gossip

Hilda's brother had gone to Garreg Mach So of course, unfortunately, she was expected to go there too.   
But Hilda adapted to things easily. Eventually, she'd probably be able to convince her professors that it wasn't a good idea to pin high hopes on her even though she's a Goneril. 

Sooner or later, she'd get people doing her chores for her and she could relax.  
Sometimes, students tutored their peers in different subjects. Skipping out of work was a science. Learn things about other people and you're good to go. Not that she'd ever explain her methods to anyone. 

Gossiping was an extremely important component.   
You could learn more about people that way then you could by talking to them. 

Except, she couldn't quite figure Claude out. People hated him. For political reasons or some other stuff that Hilda didn't care about. He seemed nice. He liked parties and he was pretty. So there wasn't anything to worry about really. At least the leader of the Golden Deer didn't make her work too hard. He seemed kind but he wasn't a push over. Skilled with a bow and an axe. Confident in his strength but not conceited like some people… Lorenz mostly.

It wasn't like Hilda to be so concerned. They were allies and all, but why did it bother her whenever people gossiped about him? Maybe it was because in the months that they'd grown closer then she thought they would. 

Claude trusted her and she had no idea why but she found that she didn't want to disappoint him.   
They'd won the Battle of The Eagle and Lion Together. And though Hilda had decided early on that she didn't care about stuff like that. She was happy. He was happy. Life was good.

But the rumors persisted. 

Claude didn't mind apparently. Though she knew him well enough by now that his smiles weren't always genuine. 

_  
Maybe it was because her professor had told her to train with axes. Hilda didn't want to be there in the first place. She was sweaty and tired. But when she heard some other girls gossiping about Claude, she threw an axe so close to their heads it nearly chopped one of the girl's ears off.

___  
"Oh geez, sorry. Did I hurt you?" She looks at her axe wedged in the wall and smiles. "My hand slipped."  
Which is a lie really because, if Hilda's hand had slipped the girl really would be dead. 

" What is wrong with you, Hilda? You could have killed me."

" Aww, aren't you being kind of overdramatic?" And if Hilda had been in her right mind, she would have thought her own words were ironic. 

She starts to walk over towards the wall where her axe is stuck. That's the problem, she is in her right mind. 

" You shouldn't say things like that," she says in a cheery tone, despite the anger that she feels over all of it

" W-what are you going to-"

" Would you like to see what I can do on purpose?"

They don't. The two girls run away whimpering, leaving Hilda with her axe and stupid thoughts. 

The next day, she finds herself in detention. Mucking out horse stalls. Which really isn't too much of a surprise. 

___

But she's knee-deep in horse crap when Claude hangs out in the doorway.

Hilda groans. He smiles. Attempts to stifle a laugh.   
" Hello to you too, Hilda."

She doesn't want to talk to him about it. But he's here and he's smiling at her. Staring at her with his pretty green eyes. It's rude really  
" The axe slipped."

" Yeah, Claude says stretching. Raising his hands behind his back and humming. " That's what you told Seteth but he didn't believe you either."

She was hoping he wouldn't know somehow. Even though it wouldn't make sense. He's the Golden Deers house leader. Even if he wasn't, Claude certainly has a knack for finding out secrets. 

She bats her eyelashes " You don't believe me?" Which is a stupid question because she doesn't believe herself. 

" Hilda, you're great with an axe." He sits down on a hay bell. 

Mud is all in her nails and it's gross so she's glad she has an excuse to stop. 

She smiles. " You sure know how to make a girl feel good. 

He laughs again " I've never seen you make a mistake before like that. You could have killed her."

" I wasn't trying to kill her… ah… Hypothetically speaking?"

" And hypothetically speaking… No… really. I appreciate that you care about me, Hilda. But it's fine. The gossip doesn't stop and if you really start threatening people it'll only get worse."

She wants to deny it. She almost wishes that she didn't care. Because she really does care about Claude. And she doesn't want to be sad. She's angry. 

" Doesn't it bother you?"

She asks so that she doesn't have to think about how much it bothers her. 

He stares at her. And she expects him to lie and say no. Or maybe he's just used to it so he doesn't care. But his smile wavers before returning again.

" Really… it would bother me more if you were expelled.".  
And she's really being ridiculous because now, instead of thinking about how sad her parents and brother would be. How royally she would have screwed up. Instead, all she can think of is how hard it would be to see Claude. But it's fine, Hilda isn't going to get expelled, the worry isn't real. 

Instead of saying anything like that, she agrees. Because it's easier to do that. 

" I hope they don't bother you anymore."

" Yeah, me too." He leans closer suddenly and whispers. " Thank you, Hilda. … Really, I mean that." He looks left and then right. " But I shouldn't be here… you're supposed to be alone. Seteth would probably slice my ear off with his axe."

" Hey, Hilda shouts whispers without any heat. " I could always spread rumors about you.:

Claude puts his hand over his chest and gasps dramatically.   
" Ah, you wouldn't dare. To save me and then unleash such turmoil on myself on your own would be so cruel."

" Hah, then I suppose I can hold off for now."

" Good, then I suppose I won't have to spread rumors about you either." 

Hilda stands, puts her hand on Claude, and halfway pushes him out the door.

" Now go, before Seteth does come over and chop your head off. I would miss you if you died."

She doesn't know why she said that. It's surprising how much she means it. Hilda cares about people not dying, sure. It's just strange how much she's happy to see him.

" Yeah, me too," Claude says before walking away.

____

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Hilclaude week! Thanks for reading (: Apparently I can't read because I thought the prompt was gossip.... But secrets are sort of like Gossip   
> @Tavitay - on twitter


End file.
